>> September 29, 2013

The recently concluded Vietnam National Athletics Championships gives some indication that Vietnamese track and field athletes may likely to collect not less than 10 Gold medals in the 27th SEA Games at Myanmar in December. The likes of Pham Van Lam (long jump), Nguyen Van Hue (Decathlon), Nguyen Thi Huyen (400mh), Truong Thi Thuy Kieu (3000m steeplechase) etc put their names on the top lists of Southeast Asian rankings to follow the footsteps of compatriots who have already among the SEA leaders for their events. Several national records were being renewed during the five days meet started 20th of September. Selected results as follows:

>> September 28, 2013

Track and Field Results - 3rd Islamic Solidarity Games, Palembang Indonesia 2013Highlights:
-nineteen-year-old Fahad Muhammad Al-Subaie ran a new Saudi Arabian National junior record of 20.74 to win the men's 200m;
-Iran's Maryam Toosi takes her 2nd Gold from 200m, after winning the century dash in the first day;
-Jackie Wong Siew Cheer broke the 20-year-old Malaysian hammer throw record in a distance of 59.53, over one metre improvement to previous NR (58.52) held by Wong Tee Kue set in Singapore;
-final results (day 3) as follows;

>> September 27, 2013

3rd Islamic Solidarity Games - Athletics Results, Palembang Indonesia (25 - 29 September 2013-highlights:
-ASIAN leader mark achieved in the men's 800m by Abdulaziz Ladan Mohamed of Saudi Arabia in a time of 1:43.86;
-Iran's Ehsan Hadadi achieved his third 66m performance this year by throwing 66.03 in discus throw;
-sixteen-year-old Fatima Ghassan Rayya improved her Syrian National record of the 3000m steeplechase by nearly 30 seconds;

>> September 26, 2013

3rd Islamic Solidarity Games 2013 - Athletics Results-highlights:
-Iran's Maryam Toosi outclassed the women's 100m field in a National record time of 11.67s;
-Iran's Reza Ghazemi crowned sprint king of the 3rd Islamic Solidarity Games in Palembang;
-results DAY 1 (25 September 2013) as follows;

Moskva (RUS), 10-18 August 2013 “14th IAAF World Championship in Athletics 2013”
-only one Malaysian participant, competed under wild-card;
MEN
110mh (11): ...8h4 Rayzam Shah Wan Sofian 14.45/-0.6 (heat 4 won by the World champion David Oliver (USA) in 13.05, and followed by bronze medalist Sergey Shubenkov (RUS) in 13.16);

Kota Kinabalu, 25 Aug 2013 “6th Borneo International Marathon (BIM) 2013”
-history of marathon running in Sabah (formerly known as North Borneo, appeared once in the
Olympics, 1956): According to BIM, the first marathon in Sabah was in 1984, called “Daily Express
Sabah Marathon”, and the next one was the 1st BIM in 2008;
-scheduled on May 4-5, however postponed to this date due to the 13th Malaysian General Election;
-marathon stats: 353 finishers (59 females in total / 27 veterans), last placing at 7:31:35 by a male
runner;
-prize money, Marathon (1-3) RM 1200 - 1000 – 800; HMar (1-3) RM 1000 – 800 – 600; visit
http://borneomarathon.com/prize for detailed prize money;
-full results visit http://borneomarathon.com/ ;
-all winners and selected results as follows;

MEN
100m (14)/ -0.5: Muhd Amiruddin Jamal (SIN) 10.77, 2. Lim Yao Peng (SIN) 10.94, 3. Muhd Helmi Ahmad 10.97;
...note: seheduled on 13-Sep, however a re-run held following protests concerning accuracy of official times that did not tally with the positions as well as the in-between distances, as seen from video, but some sprinters didn’t get info about the re-run!!;

Ahmad Istiaq MUBARAK
16 Feb 1948 – 9 Aug 2013
He died on August 9, 2013 (9.55 AM), after a fall at his home in Hulu Kelang Selangor. He competed in three Olympics at 110m hurdles, Cd Mexico 1968 (with a time of 14.3s), Munchen 1972 (14.78s), Montreal 1976 (14.27, & 14.21 in SF), and won numerous medals in SEA and Asian level including in 1966 and 1974 Asian Games where he won 110mh Bronze and Silver medals respectively. At Asian Track and Field or ATF (now Asian Championship), he won two Silver medals from editions of 1973 (14.3s) and 1975 (14.4s). He participated in two Commonwealth Games, Christchurch 1974, and Edmonton 1978. He also was with Malaysian team to the first World Cup in athletics in Dusseldorf Germany in 1977. In SEA Games (SEAP before 1975), he won four Gold medals from 1969 (14.6s), 1971 (14.4s), 1973 (14.6s), & 1977 (14.46s). His 110mh best 14.08s which has stood as NR for 15 years (broken by Nur Herman Majid in 1991) was recorded in Furth GER in June 1976. The performance, as of his death is the 4th fastest in Malaysia, and 8th in Southeast Asia. He also recorded a hand-timed best 13.8s two weeks earlier in Schwetzingen. OCM wrote, "Ishtiaq Mubarak survived a near-fatal car accident on 13 October 1970, which took him over nine months of guts and determination to recover and to make a successful come-back to Athletics". In 2002, he was inducted into the Olympic Council of Malaysia Hall of Fame. He also served as a coach (hurdles) with the national back-up (pelapis) for several years until 2012. Al-Fatihah. Rest in Peace.

Sprints: Thailand sprinter Jirapong meenapra won the men's 100m final. He clocked a time of 10.44 (-0.1). Silver and bronze goes to teammate Wachara Sondee and Singapore's Muhd Amiruddin Jamal with 10.56 and 10.58 respectively. In 200m, Chinese Taipei's Wang Wen-Tang clocked 21.50 (-0.4) to win Gold medal. The quarter-mile event was won by the Philippine's Edgardo Alejan in a quick PB of 46.95. In women's 100m, Neeranuch Klomdee takes Gold in a time of 11.82. Malaysia's Zaidatul Husna Zulkifli in second in 12.01. Sri Lanka's Rathnakumari won the women's 400m in 55.22.

Hurdles: Malaysia's Rayzam Shah Wan Sofian crossed the line in a 13.86 (+0.3) clocking to win the 110m hurdles, and beaten Thailand's Jamras Rittidet in second (14.02). In third place was Kittipong Kongdee (14.24), while 4th was Malaysia's Robani Hassan (14.27). In women's 100m hurdles, SEA Games champion Wallapa Punsoongneun of Thailand takes Gold in 13.69 (+0.5).

Middles: Philippine's Mervin Guarte won the 800m in 1:50.91. Two finals in 1500m. The fastest time and Gold medal goes to South Korea's Park Dae Sung in 3:55.38. Guarte was close trailing in second in 3:55.59. In women's 800m Sri Lanka's Samanmalee takes the Gold in 2:11.97.

Longs: Nissanka Kumara of Sri Lanka finished in 14:57.70 for Gold medal in 5000m. Thailand's Boonthung Srisung retained his title in the 10,000m, clocking 31:21.58. In women's 3000m steeplechase, Jessa Mangsat of the Philippine won Gold in 11:10.08, followed by South Korea's Lee Hyeon Ok in second (11.11.46). Sri Lanka's Geethani Rajeskara finished in 17:40.87 in the women's 5000m for Gold. Thailand-based Kenyan runner Viola Jepchirchir Kimali outclassed the field in her 10,000m winning in a time of 37:48.65.

Svetlana Radzivil

Jumps: Two men cleared 5 metres in pole vault. SEA Games champion Kreetha Sintawacheewa takes the Gold in a height of 5.15m, while Chinese Taipei's Hsieh Chia-Han silver in 5.00m. Malaysia's Iskandar Alwi third in 4.90m. Malaysia's Nauraj Singh won Gold in 2.11m. In triple jump, Thailand's Warunyu Kongnil leaped 15.54 to win Gold medal. Earlier in long jump, Supanara Sukhasvasti Na Ayudhaya of Thailand registered 7.75m for Gold. In women's high jump, Uzbekistan's Svetlana Radzivil, the Asian Games champion (PB 1.98m), outmatched her opponents by clearing a bar of 1.94m for Gold. Silver goes to Thailand's Wanida Boonwan (1.83m).

Throws: Uzbekistan's Demetev won shot put in 17.87m. Thailand's Kwanchai Namsoonboon threw 52.05 to win discus throw. A former SEA Games champion Arniel Ferrera of the Philippines has thrown the hammer in 60.69m distance to beat the SEA Games champion Tantipong Phetchaiya of Thailand in second (59.50m). In women's Javelin, SEA Games champion Nuttha Nacharn threw 51.48 to win Gold, and beaten a former SEA Games champion Rosie Villarito of the Philippine in second (49.08). Chinese Taipei's Lin Chia Ying won Gold in women's shot put in 16.11 throwing. Thailand's Subenrat Insaeng broke the Thai national record with 55.34m to win the women's discus throw.

Relays: Chinese Taipei Team finished first in the 4x100m in 40.25, followed by Air Force Team (Thailand) in 40.26, and Malaysia Team in third 40.71. The Philippine team won the 4x400m in a fast time of 3:08.07.

>> September 05, 2013

-FLASH NEWS-

The Philippines is sending a strong team of 47 athletes to compete at the 2013 Thailand Open Track and Field Championships in Bangkok (Rangsit), and that composed of those athletes with double-citizenship (Philippine-American) like US-based sprinter Princess Joy Griffey.

In the day 3 of the meet today (Thursday, Sep 5), two quarter milers gave some indications that the Philippines would likely retain the SEA Games 4x400m Gold they won (following Malaysia's disqualification) in Palembang 2011, as well as the 400m individuals.

Edgardo Alejan produced a personal best and his first sub-47 of the 400m when he set 46.95 to win the event (senior category). The 26-year-old also set a PB during semis in 47.24. Teammate Archand Christian Bagsit, the SEA Games silver medalist also did well with a PB (as well) of 47.11 to finish in second, well ahead of Thai runner who ran 47.35 in third.

Chinese Taipei team won the men's 4x100m in a time of 40.25, just one hundreds of a second ahead of Air Force team of Thailand in second for silver (40.26). Malaysia team bagged bronze in 40.71.

Four-time SEA Games champion Arniel Ferrera won the men's hammer throw in a distance of 60.69m, making him now on the top of SEA ranking lists.

In the women's 400m, Sri Lanka's E.M.U.Rathnakumari takes the Gold medal in a time of 55.22, with the Philippines's Josie Malacad in second in 56.43.

Philippines' Jessa Mangsat took Gold from women's 3000m Steeplachase in 11:10.08. South Korea's Lee Hyeon Ok was in second (11:11.46). Another Gold for the Philippine came from Riezel Buenventure in pole vault after clearing a height of 3.85m.

Easy win for the Air Force team of Thailand in the women's 4x100m after setting a modest 45.69. Malaysia and the Philippines were in second and third with 46.45 and 46.63 respectively.

>> September 04, 2013

Malaysian hurdler Rayzam Shah Wan Sofian clocked his seasonal best of 13.86 in the men's 110m hurdles to win the 2013 Thailand Open Track and Field Championships in Thamassat University, Rangsit (Bangkok) Thailand. The 25-year-old World championship representative not only hit the SEA Games qualifying mark set by MAF but he defeated the two-time SEA Games champion Jamras Rittidet of Thailand for second time this year. Jamras clocked 14.02 for silver. However the Thai has a PB of 13.77 and ran a wind-assisted 13.67A as well as 10.36w in the 100m in the USA last April. For a record, Rayzam defeated Jamras in the recent Moscow World Championships after both 'collided' each other during the race.

Rayzam (right) 'against' Jamras during Moscow World Championships

Thailand's Supanara Sukhasvasti Ayudhaya won the men's long jump after registering 7.75m (+0.5) in his first attempt. The two-time SEA Games champion and Asian Championship silver medalist fouled in his four attempts. Kuwait's Saleh Alhaddad was in 2nd in a jump of 7.57m (+0.1).

In men's 1500m, South korea's Park Dae Sung takes the gold in a time of 3:55.38, just ahead of SEA Games silver medalist Mervin Guarte of the Philippines who clocked 3:55.59.

Sri Lanka's K.M.N.J. Gunathilaka ran 52.17 in the men's 400m hurdles for gold and just beaten the Philippines' Junrey Bano (52.24) in second. Experienced hurdler Artem Dyatlov of Uzbekistan who has a PB of 49.30 in third (52.47).

Malaysia's Nauraj Singh Randhawa cleared 2.11m in the men's high jump for gold medal. Two jumpers behind him ended with 2.08m. Another Malaysian Mohd Khairil Harith Harun won the men's 20km walk but clocked a slow time of 1:38:12.

Meanwhile, Uzbekistan athletes performed well in the women's events. Anastasiya Aslanidu whose hammer throw PB of 52.40m set last June in Almaty won her event. She threw the iron ball at a distance of 50.78m. Asian championship silver medalist Yekaterina Voronina totaled 5387 in the women's heptathlon to steal the gold from the two-time Asian champion Wassana Winatho of Thailand who finished a few points behind (5353). Nataliya Asanove added another gold for Uzbeks camp when she won the 400m hurdles, clocking 61.10. Josie Malacad of the Philippines took silver in 61.61. However, first gold medal for the Philippines in the meet was produced by Catherine Kay Santos in the women's long jump when she leaped 5.99m (0.0)

The century dash finals will be in Friday, the final day of the meet which was started in Tuesday (3rd of Sep). Jirapong meenapra of Thailand will be a favorite for men event after clocking 10.41 in semifinals. A week ago he ran 10.47 and a day later 10.45 in Thailand SEA Games trials at the same venue.